49ers' Foster suspended two games, fined undisclosed amount
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster was fined an undisclosed amount and suspended two games by the NFL on Tuesday for violating the league's personal-conduct policy. According to the 49ers' official website, the punishments stem from a misdemeanor weapons charge -- to which Foster pleaded no contest in June -- and a misdemeanor drug offense, after Foster was arrested in January on a misdemeanor marijuana charge that was later dropped. That would indicate Foster was not punished further for the pair of felony domestic violence charges he faced, stemming from a February incident. Those charges were dismissed in May after Foster's ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, testified that she initially lied to police about Foster hitting her on Feb. 11 and did so in an attempt to ruin Foster's career and "end him." Foster released a statement on Tuesday indicating he won't appeal the suspension. It reads: "I accept the League's decision and am sorry that my mistakes have hurt my team. I have a responsibility to the 49ers, our fans and our community, and I am committed to learning from this situation and making better choices in the future. The support I have received over the last five months has been humbling, and I do not take it for granted." "Our organization understands and supports the League's decision," general manager John Lynch said in a statement. "Although we are disappointed that Reuben will not be with our team for the first two games of the season, we will continue to work with him on making better decisions and eliminating unnecessary distractions. We are encouraged to see Reuben take responsibility for his mistakes, and hopeful that he has learned from them as well." Foster, 24, will miss the 49ers' opener at the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 9 and the home opener against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 16. He will be eligible to rejoin the team on Sept. 17, six days before a Week 3 trip to play the Kansas City Chiefs. He will forfeit $103,024 in salary for the two missed games, on top of the undisclosed fine. The 31st overall pick in 2017, Foster played in 10 games (all starts) as a rookie, recording 72 tackles and a pass defensed. He missed time with a high-ankle sprain. --Field Level Media
